ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pit — in a race
  4. present — the time now
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bat — the animal
  10. present — there
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mine — for digging
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. present — a gift
  20. ball — a dance
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com